Chaeles e



(No Model.) v l C. B. DURYEA.

V BIGYGLEASADDLB. 'No.293x725- Patented Peb. 19, 1884.

. UNITED STATES a-PNTENT Orrrcn.

CHARLES n. rDmitri/3A, or sT. LoUIsMIss'oURI, Assrcnon or ONE-HALF ToRICHARD ennvnv, on SAME PLAGE.

BICYCLE-SADDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,725, dated February19, 1884.

Application tiled December 3, 1883. gNo model.) Y

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that l, CHARLEs E. DURYEA,

of St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, haveinvented certain Improvements in Bicycle-Saddles, of which the followingis a specification.v

rIfhe object of this invention is to provide a light and elastic saddlethe tension of which may be readily controlled, and which may be appliedwith facility to existing machines and adjusted forward and backwardthereon at pleasure.

It is also a further object of the invention to produce a saddle whichshall be free from f' the ordinary liability, which exists in adjustablesaddles, of the parts becoming loosened by the vibration of the machineso as to move out of position.

To this end it consists, essentially, in a iiexible seat or saddlehaving its two extremities attached to an elastic supporting-framecomposed, essentially, of two' longitudinal parallel springs arrangedlin such. manner as to admit of their passing downward on opposite sidesof the backbone or reach, andI of their maintaining a longitudinalstrain or tension to the seat.

It also consists in the frame constructed of a single piece of metaldoubled or bent into the form hereinafter described.

It also consists in clips or fastening'devices of peculiar construction,adapted to secure the elastic frame to the backbone.

backbone or reach, the forward end of which is swiveled or journaled tothe fork, as shown, while the rear end is adapted to receive the rearwheel. All of the Vforegoing parts are constructed in the ordinarymanner, and constitute no part of my invention, which'relates solely tothe construction of the saddle and fastening devices.

My saddle consists, as most plainly represented in Fig. 2, of a iiexibleseat or saddle proper, D, and of the supporting-spring E,

attached to the two extremities thereof.

The seat or saddle proper consists of a sheet of leather, canvas, orequivalent pliable material, which may be given, as represented in thedrawings, essentially the same form or outline as saddles now in commonuse--that is to say, a decreasing Vwidth from the rear end to the front,or modified at will.

The supporting-spring E is preferably constructed, as represented, of asingle rod or bar of steel, doubled or bent into the peculiar formshown. At its forward 'end the spring has a horizontal portion, a toreceive and sustain the forward end or neck of the seat, which ispreferably looped around the same and se cured by rivets, as shown. Fromthe two ends of the portion athe spring is extended downward, formingthe upright arms b, and bent thence backward in a substantiallyhorizontal direction to a point near the rear end of the saddle, Wherethey are curved upward and attached to the under side of a plate, c,riveted or otherwise secured firmly to the under side of the seat. rlhisplate e is made of a form corresponding with that ofthe rear end of thesaddie, whatever it may be. The ends of the spring may be attached tothe plate, and the plate attached to the seat in any suitable man- Ilel.the spring upward in a horizontal direction, .to give them a broad andfirm bearing against the under side of the plate and to pass the rivetsdownward through the seat, the plate, and the arms, as shown, one set ofrivets thus servingl to hold the three parts firmly together.l

It is preferred to bend'the rear ends of In making use of my saddle, thespring-arms Y are dropped downward on opposite4 sides of steering-head,as required. The springs may be attached firmly to the backbone in anysuit able manner; but for various reasons I prefer to make use of thefastening-clips represented in the drawings. These fastenings consist ofU-shaped clips or stirrnps f, adapted to fit transversely on the upperside ofthe backbone, with their ends turned outward to engage be iieaththe two springs to give support thereto, and of corresponding clips, g,adapted to fit transversely upon the under side of the backbone, withtheir ends extended laterally above the spring-arms and provided withset-screws h, to bear on said arms. There may be any desired nulnber ofthe clips, and they may be located at any suitable points in the lengthof the springs, their location being adjustable at the will of the user,in order to regulate the tension of the springs or the position of thesaddle. By adjusting the screws the springs may be drawn tightly uponthe backbone and caused to engage firmly upon the spring-arms, so as tohold the saddle securely in position.

It will be observed that the spring-arms exert a longitudinal strain ortension upon the seat, which is permitted, however, to yield in avertical direction when a weight is applied sufficient to overcome thetension of Jthe rear ends of the arms. The short upright portions b arepractically rigid, and, consequently, the seat is without any tendencyto move in a for ward or backward direction, its yielding movenientbeing confined practically to a vertical direction. By shifting theclips forward and backward with respect to the spring-arms the seat maybe given more or less elasticity. XVhen thee-lips are all located nearthe forward end of the spring-arms, it will be seen that the rear endsofthe arms are free to rise and fall bodily, thus permitting the saddleto yield without the flexion of the seat. The adjustment of the clipstoward the forward end of the arms also has the effect of increasing thelength of the flexible portion, or portion which is free to yield,'aiidthus to permit the seat to sink beneath a lighter weight.

It is to be observed as a peeuliarity of my saddle that it may beadjusted forward and backward to and from the head of the machinewithout affecting its tension, and that, on the other hand, its locationmay be modified without varying its tension, these two independentadjustments being highly advantageous, in that they admit of the saddlebeing adjusted to riders of different weights and to tastes of differentriders, some of whom prefer to have the saddle nearer the head thanothers.

It is manifest that the clips bearing screws may be applied to the topof the backbone and the others applied to the under side. If one set ofclips be longer than the other, this reversibility will be found to beof advantage, in that it admits of the saddle being raised or lowered.It is also manifest that the screws may be applied to both the upper andthe lower clips, as represented in dotted lines, and in this mannerprovision made for raising and lowering the saddle bodily.

I am aware that a flexible seat has been combined with a' singlesupportingspring, exert; ing a longitudinal strain thereon; but myconstruction differs therefrom and is superior thereto, in that mydouble spring may be applied to the two sides of the backbone, thusallowing the scatto be placed in close proximity to the backbone,instead of heilig raised an objectionable distance therefrom. rlheemployinent of the double springs is also advantageous, in that itenables me to secure the saddle the more firmly against lateralmovement, and in that it admits of the saddle being raised and loweredupon the machine.

W'hile it is preferred, as before stated, to construct the entire springE of a single piece of metal, it is manifest that two spring-armsapplied in the same relative positions may be connected at the forwardend by a device of any suitable character adapted to sustain the forwardend of the seat.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The improvedsaddle for a bicycle, consisting of a fiexible seat or saddle proper,and a supporting-spring having two substantially parallel arms withupturiied ends attached to the seat, and adapted, as described, to applya longitudinal tension thereto.

2. In combination with the flexible seat of diminishing width toward itsfront end or neck, the supporting-spring consisting of a single elasticrod doubled and bent upon itself, and having its ends upturned andconnected to the extremities of the seat, substantially as described. 4

3. In a bicycle-saddle, the combination of a flexible seat having awidened reai' end, and a supporting-plate attached to the rear edge ofthe seat, and two parallel spring-arms attached to the plate, andextended thence downward and forward to the forward extremity of theseat.

4. In combination with the backbone of a bicycle, a fiexible seat orsaddle, two longitudinal springs located on opposite sides of thebackbone and connected to the extremity of the, seat, to maintain alongitudinal tension thereof, and means, substantially as described,connecting said springs with the backbone.

IOO

IIO

5. In combination with the backbone of a bicycle, a flexible seat orsaddle, two spring-arms extending lengthwise of the saddle on'oppositesides of the backbone and acting, as described, to strain the scatlongitudinally, and clips or fastening devices adjustable longitudinallywith respect to the backbone, whereby the saddle may be adj ustedforward and backward without affecting its tension.

6. In combination with the backbone of a bicycle, clips or fasteningdevices applied thereto, and a saddle having two longitudinal springsconnected to the extremities of the seat and adapted to strain the samelongitudinally, said springs being adjustable longitudinally withrespect to the clips, whereby the saddle may IZO 'be adj usted forwardandbackward and its tenof, clips applied to the top of the backbone 1osion or stiffness modified at the same time. and engaging at their endsAbeneath the arms, 7. In combination with the backbone and l andsecondary clips applied beneath the backtwo saddle-supporting arms onopposite sides l bone and engaging at their ends above the 5 thereof,the clips applied to the upper and arms,as described.

lower sides of the backbone, and the adjust- CHARLES E. DURYEA.ingscrews, applied substantially as shown.- Witnesses:

8. In combination with a backbone and two C. S. DRURY,

saddle-supporting arms onoppositesidesthere- HARRY SHIPLEY.

